Book Review: Divergent Series (Steph)

Divergent series by Veronica Roth

Books in this series: Divergent, Insurgent, and third book (untitled) to be released September 2013

5 out of 5 thumbs up

Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior lives in Chicago after the collapse of modern civilization. The city is divided into 5 factions, each emulating a specific virtue. Candor-honesty, Erudite- knowledge, Dauntless- courage, Amity- peacefulness, and Abnegation- selflessness. She, along with the other youth her age, will follow tradition and  decide whether to stay in the factions they were born into, or decide to make a different faction their home.  After Beatrice’s surprising decision, she discovers a dangerous secret about herself and that the world around her is not as peaceful as it seems.

Whether it’s the engaging story, colorful characters, or heart-pounding action, this book is a winner. It’s engaging, emotional and a real page-turner.  I loved the story and the characters and literally couldn’t put these books down.  It was one of those instances where you take that one tiny little second right after you’ve finished the last word of the last book and wonder how you’re going to live another year until the next book is published.  Overdramatic, yes, but it happens to everyone. Right?  I could go on gushing over the books, or you could just read them and find out for yourself.

Book Review: Caster Chronicles (Steph)

Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Books in this Series: Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption

      

 3 out of 5 thumbs up

Ethan Wate lived in Gatlin, Georgia his whole predictable life when he is changed forever after the arrival of Lena Duchannes, an outsider, who moves into her shut-in uncle’s giant, mysterious house.  As Ethan befriends Lena and unravels the mysteries of her family, he learns that Lena is no ordinary teenage girl and that she will have to make a choice that could change their world as they know it.

One thing I actually really liked about these books, was that they are told from the boy’s point of view, rather than the girl’s, which is sort of a refreshing change. However, the book was not only written by a woman, but by two women, so I’m not sure the “feelings” Ethan nanners on and on about are entirely from a teenage boy’s perspective.  Or maybe he’s just a really sensitive guy. Who knows. 

I also hold little sympathy for teenagers who have to make “choices” in which the correct decision is obviously apparent.  Since that is basically what this story revolves around, I couldn’t really get behind Lena and her decision making. I couldn’t figure out why she didn’t just get it over with already, and consequently resulted in the first book being a bit of a lackluster read.  The good news is that the books get a little bit better as they continue.  The bad news is that a Beautiful Creatures has been made to be released in March (I think) 2013.  Sounds like one to Redbox, maybe.

Book Review: Wicked Lovely (Steph)

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr 

1 out of 5 thumbs up

I think that the name of this book should have been Wicked Confusing. I generally like things that I read, even if they are a little corny, or there’s parts I don’t really care for.  This book, however, even I have to admit was a stinker.

The book is about a teenage girl who we know very little about due to the author’s devastatingly  poor character development.  This girl, Aislinn (Ash for short- maybe I have no idea how to pronounce Aislinn, but “Ash” wouldn’t have been my first guess as a nickname), can see things that most other humans can’t, faeries (eye roll).  She doesn’t tell anyone about her “sight” because if the faeries find out, it’s bad for her, for some reason.  I guess they’ll kill her or something; it never really says. Aislinn is pursued by the faerie Summer King, Keenan, who has been looking for his queen for 900 year or something like that. Again, it’s not real clear. If she agrees to try to become Summer Queen and rule with the Keenan, they will restore balance to the mortal and faerie world, because apparently the world has been sort of stuck in Winter (because of the evil Winter queen, Keenan’s  mother), but you would never know that unless you could read the mind of the author. She definitely doesn’t elaborate much about the state of the world Aislinn lives in to begin with.

Saving the world from perpetual winter would probably be an obvious choice, but Aislinn has a “friend”, Seth, who she’s hung up on, though I have no idea why. Seth is probably the character that I understand the least.  He’s a goth or something like that, I guess, but he paints his nails black and has “tats” (shudder) and piercings all over.  He seems like he’s older than Aislinn, but I have no idea how old, nor what he does for a living, but apparently has some money.  He lives in a set of train cars (which he purchased, apparently, so I guess he’s not a bum) which have people in them all the time, so I’m guessing he’s popular and likes to party. (?)  He seems like a nice enough guy, but not exactly my cup of tea.  So basically the entire book is Aislinn trying to decide what to do.  It’s rather frustrating to read.

Besides the poor character development, which didn’t give me any reason to root for or care about anyone in this book, the story is riddled with plot-holes and a lot of instances where, I felt, the author didn’t feel like writing something and wanted you to read her mind instead.  I remember reading along and felt like I had missed something.  So I’d back-track a little bit to see if I had missed anything, but, there was nothing there to miss.  Also, she would mention a name, or a place, with absolutely no explanation.  As if the reader should already know what she’s talking about, but there’s no other mention of this person or place ANYWHERE.  It’s just really confusing throughout. That and the teenage whining is especially bad.  I know, I know.  It’s a youth fiction book, so there’s bound to be a little moodiness, but this is just ridiculous.

All in all, I’m not sure how this book got published, much less made it on the NY Times Best Seller list. (Yeah, I was just as shocked as you). Don’t waste your time. Seriously. Don’t.

Book Review: Delirium and Pandemonium (Steph)

Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

4 ½ out of 5 thumbs up

Lena lives in world where love is thought to be a disease (deliria nervosa)  and showing any kind of passion (love, or hate), or affection can land you in prison for life, or worse.  She lives in time where cities are fenced off and traveling between them is next to impossible.  She knows that when she turns eighteen, she will undergo a surgical procedure that will “cure” her from possibly contracting deliria, and she looks forward to it, counting down the days until it’s her turn.   That’s when she meets Alex, an uncured member of an underground resistance living undercover in the city.  Lena learns about love and a life outside the cage she calls home.

These books are similar to the Hunger Games, in that the government has completely taken over the country to the point where most people live in a sort of oppression and many live in poverty.  The books are well written (though a teeny bit predictable at times) and quick paced. Delrium is written chronologically, while Pandemonium jumps back and forth between the past and present.  Of the two, I think I liked Pandemonium more.  I liked the writing style, but I also thought there was more suspense and there was even one part that made me cry.  Both books really evoke emotion out of the reader, which I loved. 

Of course, I had to choose another series that wasn’t completely published yet, so the third and final book Requiem will be released March 2013.  (Grrrrrrrr)